Also Known As
by Meret
Summary: Lex buys a painting


Title: Also Known As   
  
Author: Meret  
  
Rating: G  
  
Category: friendship, humor, implied slash  
  
Disclaimer: These characters are owned by the WB and DC Comics. No profit or infringement is intended.   
  
Summary: Lex buys a painting  
  
Feedback: meret118@netscape.net  
  
Many thanks to my wonderful beta readers Jayne Leitch and Siobhan W.   
  
This takes place in Season One  
  
The painting in question can be found at http://www.nodestination.net/meret/erosloveinidleness.jpeg  
  
Gazing at the painting, he still didn't understand why it drew him so intently. Lex normally enjoyed art, but he'd only attended that charity auction to network with the owner of a company he was interested in. He'd already bought his tax write-off to donate to the Metropolis Museum of Art when this painting had come up for bid. He had been riveted as soon as he saw it. He'd paid more for it than it was worth and could care less. Meteyard was only a minor British artist. In fact, Lex had never even heard of him until last night. And yet something about this work of art had compelled him to have his servants put it in his bedroom last night when he retired for the evening, and bring it back down to his office this morning.   
  
It certainly wasn't the subject matter, he thought, approaching the painting more closely. The Icarus myth about a son coming to ruin by ignoring paternal advice was one of his father's favorites, not his. The painting itself was competent, but not outstanding. An imitation of other, better, works by Burnes-Jones. The Pre-Raphaelites had never appealed to him anyway - too sentimental. But this painting mesmerized him, and it irritated him that he couldn't figure out why, like having a sticky piece of spider's web on his hand. He knew it was there, he just couldn't see it.  
  
"Hey, Lex."  
  
Startled from his musing, Lex turned quickly as Clark entered the room, unslinging the book bag from his shoulder and dropping it on the leather sofa with a thump. He always reminded Lex faintly of a puppy entering a room, all happy energy and big feet.   
  
"Mom's making pickles today, and the whole house stinks. I can even smell it out in the loft. Is it okay if I hang out here for a while and do my homework?"  
  
"Of course. You know you're welcome anytime." Lex didn't want to even think about what kind of odor would be bad enough to drive off someone raised on a farm.   
  
"Thanks." Clark helped himself to one of the sodas Lex kept for him in the bar's mini-fridge. "New picture?"   
  
Lex looked up at the sound of Clark popping the can open. "Bring me a Tynant, would you? I bought the painting last night on a whim. I haven't been able to figure out why yet."   
  
Clark snorted, and handed him a blue bottle. "Yeah, right."  
  
Lex cocked his head at Clark as he opened his water. "Any insight you'd like to share with the class, Mr. Kent?"  
  
"Well, I'm *sure* it's coincidence, but if some evil scientist created a clone with Warrior Angel and Devilicius's DNA, that's what he'd look like."   
  
Lex choked, spewing water across the floor.   
  
Clark patted him helpfully on the back, almost knocking him over in the process. Once Lex had regained his equilibrium, he said with as much dignity as he could manage while wiping his shirt with a towel at the bar, "Warrior Angel and Devilicus do *not* have a child together. That was just a nasty rumor circulated in issue #82 by Dr. Destruction."  
  
Clark laughed and walked over to the painting to get a better look. "Whatever you say, Lex. But the purple wings, the brown hair, the red clothes . . . . He's a paternity case waiting to happen," he teased.  
  
Lex froze in mid-wipe. He looked from Clark to the painting and back again.   
  
No wonder his housekeeper had looked at him strangely when he'd had the painting brought in. The model's nose was a little long, and the brow a bit too wide, but he had the same dark wavy hair, the same pouty red lips, the same cheekbones, and the same doe eyes that were looking at him now.   
  
"So what's it called?" Clark asked, taking off his red jacket. "Lex?" Clark paused when he didn't answer the question. "You okay?" he asked, puzzled by Lex's expression.   
  
"What? Yes." He cleared his throat. "It's entitled 'Icarus', but it's also known as 'Eros, Love in Idleness'."   
  
"Sooo, falling in love can be dangerous?"  
  
"Perhaps," Lex said quietly. He straightened and asked, "Do you have time for some pool before your homework?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
Lex watched as Clark racked the balls, bending over the table to center the triangle.  
  
He would sell the painting tomorrow.  
  
Either that or have it moved into his bedroom permanently.   
  
He hadn't decided.  
  
The End  
  
In case anyone was wondering, I didn't manipulate the painting in any way other than to add a frame. 


End file.
